MKs agree: Elections to be held on Feb. 10

Knesset faction heads meet with Speaker Itzik to debate election date; Kadima, Likud announce they support holding elections in 110 days according to law, say Knesset dissolution bill unnecessary. Vote may still be postponed to February 17

Kadima
faction chairman, Knesset Member Yoel Hasson, announced Tuesday that his party would push to hold elections within 111 days from Monday, the day President Shimon Peres
informed Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik of his decision
to call general elections.

According to this announcement, and as per Israeli law, elections are set to fall on February 10.

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At the end of a faction heads' meeting, it was decided that the elections could be postponed to February 17, through legislation, due to the desired date's proximity to the holiday of Tu B'Shvat.
The meeting attendees also decided that the Knesset would go on its election break on November 11.

Hasson announced that Kadima would pass on the legislation of a Knesset dissolution bill in order to prevent a possible situation in which elections would be postponed beyond the set date.

Likud
faction chairman, MK Gideon Sa'ar, declared that his party also supports the above plan, meaning that barring any dramatic changes, Israel
will be voting on February 10.

Knesset speaker (L) with faction reps (Photo: Dudi Vaaknin)

All faction heads convened at the Knesset speaker's office to try to decide
on an election date. Sa'ar and Hasson's announcements at the beginning of the meeting, cleared the fog on this issue.

"Kadima has decided to take the path set in the law," said Hasson, "and will not propose the Knesset's dissolution for fear it will end up leading to a postponement. Unfortunately, various bodies in the opposition who fear Kadima's victory and who called out 'elections, elections', are now trying to drag their feet and put off the set date in different ways.

"Kadima plans to take the fast path to elections in order to win, to assemble a government, and bring stability to Israel."

Sa'ar in turn said, "We demanded elections, and kadima joined in our demand after much delay. The right path is the path of the president and we are content that Kadima has joined us on this stance. A legislative process could be dangerous and there are bodies in the Knesset that have great interest in postponing elections."

The faction chairman added that after the elections, it would be Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu
who would be assembling the new government in Israel.

Labor
Secretary-General Eitan Cabel told Ynet on Monday that his party also supports this move.